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The Legacy of Len Bias

Loaded on Sept. 15, 2021 by Jayson Hawkins published in Criminal Legal News October, 2021, page 31
Filed under: Drug Overdose, War on Drugs. Location: Massachusetts.

How death of basketball star helped
launch unjust war on drugs

by Jayson Hawkins

On June 19, 1986, Len Bias died of cardiac arrhythmia caused by a cocaine overdose. Bias was a basketball superstar at the University of Maryland and had been drafted second overall by the Boston Celtics only ...

 

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More from this issue:

  1. The Clash Between Closed-Source Forensic Tools and the Confrontation Clause, by Anthony Accurso
  2. Make Way for the Snitch State The All-Seeing Fourth Branch of Government, by Nisha Whitehead, John W. Whitehead
  3. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: Withholding Exculpatory Statement Change by Key Witness Constitutes Brady Violation, Requiring New Trial, by Matthew Clarke
  4. Qualified Immunity Driven by Irrational Fear of Cops Being Held Personally Liable, by Dale Chappell
  5. Wyoming Supreme Court: Fleeing Into Home After Traffic Offense Not Exigent Circumstance Justifying Warrantless Entry, by Anthony Accurso
  6. SCOTUS: § 2(a) of Fair Sentencing Act Modifies Statutory Penalties Only for Subparagraphs (A) and (B) of 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)— the Mandatory-Minimum Provisions, by Douglas Ankney
  7. SCOTUS: ‘Exceeds Authorized Access’ Under the CFAA Means Accessing Areas of Computer That Are Off-Limits on Computer Otherwise Authorized to Access, by Douglas Ankney
  8. Fourth Circuit: Sentence Vacated for Failure to Properly Analyze Leadership Role Factors, by Anthony Accurso
  9. Tenth Circuit Joins Other Circuits, Holding Federal Offense of Conviction, Not Underlying Conduct, Determines First Step Act Eligibility, by Dale Chappell
  10. Hawaii Supreme Court: Trial Counsel Must Inform Defendant That Deportation ‘Will Be Required’ for Plea to Aggravated Felony, IAC for Advising Deportation ‘Almost Certain’, by David Reutter
  11. Study: Innocent Children Likely to Plead Guilty, by David Reutter
  12. Fourth Circuit: District Court Must Recalculate Guidelines Sentencing Range and Conduct Analysis of § 3553(a) Factors Even if Same Sentence Would Be Imposed Under First Step Act, by Dale Chappell
  13. "Sixth Circuit Grants Habeas Relief Because Trial Judge Redacted Key Portion of Witness’ Testimony Presented to Jury in Violation of Confrontation Clause", by Dale Chappell
  14. JusticeText Software Helps Defense Attorneys Review Audiovisual Evidence, by Anthony Accurso
  15. Seventh Circuit Finds Lack of Evidence, Grants Habeas Relief, and Orders ‘Immediate Release’, by Dale Chappell
  16. Ninth Circuit: IAC Under Strickland Satisfies Rhines’ ‘Good Cause’ Standard to Stay Federal Habeas Petition, Allowing Exhaustion of State Court Remedies, by Dale Chappell
  17. Wisconsin Supreme Court: Officer’s Retention of Driver’s License Without Reasonable Suspicion to Delay Until Arrival of Drug Dog Constitutes Unlawful Seizure, by Anthony Accurso
  18. Tenth Circuit: Warrant Authorizing Search for Items ‘Involved in Crime’ Violates Fourth Amendment’s Particularity Requirement, Not Saved by Doctrine of Severability, by Anthony Accurso
  19. The Legacy of Len Bias, by Jayson Hawkins
  20. Massachusetts Supreme Court Revisits Lougee and Announces Framework for Determining When Pretrial Detention Prolonged Due to COVID Violates Due Process, by Douglas Ankney
  21. North Dakota Supreme Court Holds Attempted Knowing Murder Is Non-Cognizable, by Matthew Clarke
  22. California Court of Appeal: § 1170.95(e) Permits Trial Courts to Redesignate More Than One Underlying Felony in Resentencing Vacated Felony-Murder Conviction, by Douglas Ankney
  23. North Carolina Court Rules That Felons Not in Prison Must Be Allowed to Vote, by Chuck Sharman
  24. Seventh Circuit: Prosecutor’s Comments Not Supported by Evidence Denied Defendant Fair Trial, Affirms Habeas Relief, by Dale Chappell
  25. Arizona Supreme Court: Trial Courts Have Broad Discretion to Disqualify Entire Prosecutor’s Office Based on Appearance of Impropriety, by Douglas Ankney
  26. Mississippi Supreme Court: Failure to Timely File Motion to Suppress Confession Obtained as Result of Police Threats and Promises Constitutes Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, by Matthew Clarke
  27. Federal Judge: ‘Offense of Conviction’ Under Guidelines Excludes Relevant Conduct for Sentencing, by Dale Chappell
  28. Indiana Supreme Court Applies Recently Announced Proportionality Framework for In Rem Fines and Holds Forfeiture of $35,000 Land Rover Grossly Disproportionate to Underlying Offense in Violation of Eighth Amendment, Ending 7-Year Saga, by Douglas Ankney
  29. Putting Police Use of Spy Tech Under Community Control, by Anthony Accurso
  30. Seventh Circuit: Cronic Doesn’t Provide Exclusive Situations for its Application, Finds Attorney Abandonment at Sentencing Despite Counsel Being Physically Present, by Dale Chappell
  31. Law Enforcement Underwhelmed by Clearview AI, by Anthony Accurso
  32. Study Finds Lack of Uniformity in New DNA Technology, by Jayson Hawkins
  33. 11th Circuit: District Court Must Demonstrate It Considered § 3553(a) Factors When Denying Motion for Compassionate Release, by Douglas Ankney
  34. California Town Pays $6 Million to Family of Mentally Ill Man Tasered by Cop
  35. Fourth Circuit: RICO Conspiracy Isn’t ‘Crime of Violence’ for § 924(c) Purposes, by Douglas Ankney
  36. California Supreme Court Announces Predicate Offenses for Gang Enhancement or Gang Participation Not Provable Using Expert Witness Testimony Without Personal Knowledge of Facts, by Matthew Clarke
  37. Newark Police Didn’t Discharge a Single Firearm in 2020, and the Crime Rate Fell, by Jayson Hawkins
  38. SCOTUS Reinstates Death Sentence Reversed by Eleventh Circuit, by Matthew Clarke
  39. Study Finds Interactive Lineup Improves Accuracy of Eyewitness Identification, But Does It Also Increase Likelihood of False Identifications?, by Matthew Clarke
  40. FBI Fails to Track Police Use of Force, by Jayson Hawkins
  41. Concealed Exculpatory Evidence and New Palm Print Evidence Frees Wrongfully Convicted Man After 21 Years in Prison, by Douglas Ankney
  42. News in Brief

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